Gestalt Therapy: Focusing on the Here and Now

Gestalt Therapy, developed by Fritz Perls, Laura Perls, and Paul Goodman in the 1940s and 1950s, emphasizes personal responsibility and focuses on the individual's experience in the present moment, the therapist-client relationship, the environmental and social contexts of a person's life, and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of their overall situation. It integrates the body and mind factors, emphasizing awareness and the holistic nature of human experience. Gestalt therapy is particularly effective for clients seeking to overcome feelings of stuckness and to increase self-awareness. References: Perls, F. (1973). The Gestalt Approach & Eye Witness to Therapy. Science and Behavior Books. Yontef, G.M., & Jacobs, L. (2010). Gestalt Therapy: Advances in Theory and Practice. Routledge.